The invention relates to a frame for a vehicle seat belt retractor comprising a back part and two side legs extending in parallel to each other starting from the back part, wherein a retaining aperture for a belt reel is provided in each side leg. The invention further relates to a vehicle structure for mounting a belt retractor in a vehicle as well as a sheet metal blank for a frame of a vehicle seat belt retractor.
Belt retractors comprising a back wall the surface of which contacts the vehicle body and is mounted thereto are known from the state of the art. The side legs on which the belt reel is supported extend at right angles away from said back wall, i.e. also at right angles from the vehicle body. Such frame is made in one piece from a sheet metal with the side legs being bent at right angles with respect to the back part. For this constructional design large sheet thicknesses of more than 2 mm are required, however, so as to ensure sufficient stability of the frame.
For reducing the sheet thicknesses of such frame from the state of the art frames are known in which the back wall is offset by 90° vis-à-vis the vehicle body so that it extends away from the vehicle body. On the back wall a retaining bracket is provided which is bent so that its surface contacts the vehicle body. In addition, a retaining fitting that serves for stiffening the retractor and the retaining bracket is provided. This design helps to reduce the sheet thicknesses to 1.7 mm, wherein additional lands are required between the side legs so as to ensure the stability of this frame.